State Cannot do Anything to Give Relief, it is Subject of Centre: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Fuel Prices

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the state government is not in a position to give any relief to common people on fuel prices.

Patna: Even as the fuel prices are on an upward spiral throughout the country and respite is not expected anytime soon, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the state government is not in a position to give any relief to common people on fuel prices.

While interacting with media persons after Janata Darbar on Monday, the CM said, “There is no doubt that people are feeling the pinch due to the hike in fuel prices. (However) we do not have resources in the state government to give immediate relief to common people. It is a subject of the Centre. We cannot do anything in this matter to reduce prices of fuel.”

“We had given relief a few months ago. Suddenly, the fuel prices increase across the country. Now, it is not possible to reduce prices at the state level again,” he said.

It is worth mentioning that the Bihar government had reduced state VAT during the run-up to the Assembly Elections to the five states when the Centre had reduced VAT on petrol and diesel and also asked the states to reduce state VATs as well.

“There are several projects currently underway in the state and a big amount involved in it. We are already having a lack of resources in the state,” said Nitish Kumar.

“The pandemic had deeply hurt the financial earning of the state. We are in the process of recovery in the last one year,” he said.

(With agency inputs)